The new regulatory restrictions implemented since October of last year have failed to slow demand for central Lisbon properties. While new Local Lodging applications dropped by 60%, foreign investors continue to seek out and buy property in historical districts as real estate sales soared by 38% over the period. While the “AL” sector is still significant, there are clearly other factors driving the market as well.

While the European Commission (EC) defends the end of “Golden Visas”, Portugal contends that the programme will go on. In recent years, the scheme has served as a gateway for millions of euros into the national real estate market in exchange for permanent residency visas for high net worth foreign investors. In light of the controversy, the government has announced plans to alter legislation to improve transparency as called for by the European Parliament.